This invention generally relates to exercise treadmills that support a person walking or running in place.
At present, exercise devices of this type, i.e. running mats, are well-known, as there are commercially available devices both for private use and for more demanding training, in competitive sports, for instance. Besides, such exercise devices are very widely used in various medical researches. In order to make the operation of the exercise devices more versatile, the front portion of the frame structure is provided with adjustable supporting means enabling said front portion to be raised and lowered in a manner desired. The expression front portion means here that end of the frame structure towards which the exercising person runs when he uses the exercise device. By raising or lowering the front portion of the frame structure, i.e. by tilting the frame structure, it is possible to increase or reduce the strenuousness of the exercise in a desired manner.
Said tilting of the frame structure has been carried out in several ways in the previously known devices. As an example of the known solutions, a toothed bar structure may be mentioned, in which both supporting means at the front portion of the exercise device can be adjusted by means of the same electric motor. A disadvantage of this structure is its complexity and the heaviness thereof, which impedes displacing of the device.
As an other example of the known solutions, so called screw feet may be mentioned, the length of said feet being adjustable by turning. A disadvantage of this solution is the slowness of the adjusting operation, for each foot must be adjusted separately. The solution is also relatively complicated and thus expensive to construct.
Still another example to be mentioned comprises obliquely disposed supporting means, the inclination of which can be continuously altered. A disadvantage of this solution is that the supporting means must be provided with an extreme firmness or they must be supported very efficiently by means of outside means. The above facts make the structure disadvantageous with respect to production costs, a further disadvantage of the structure being the heaviness thereof, which impedes displacing of the exercise device.